The Canine
by Capitaine Jaf
Summary: Victoire Franklin has created a monster. A quick rewrite of part of the book for a school project, changing the time period and genders of the characters.


**Note: **I wrote this fairly quickly as an English project a few years ago. The idea was a re-write a section of Frankenstein however we wanted to do it. I chose to move it to present day, as well as change the gender of everyone involved. I had a lot of fun picking names that matched the ones in Frankenstein! **~Jaf**

* * *

The Canine

It was nice out the day it happened. The sun was shining, and starting to fall towards the horizon. White, fluffy clouds drifted across the sky, which was turning orange from the sunset. I could see the sky through the only window in the laboratory. A square of sunlight shone through the glass, and, as if I had placed the table there on purpose, lit up the body of my creature.  
This was the only light that lay upon the creature when its eyes opened, and when it took in its first breath.  
I backed up, appalled but fascinated. The creature, canine in shape, was covered in dull black fur. The eye gazing at me was yellow, with a slit feline-like pupil. I had put it together very well, and everything looked to be in its proper place. I had worked on this creature for two years, and here it was.  
It started to move. Its legs twitched as it rolled onto its stomach. Its tongue lolled from its mouth. It looked at me, and I was suddenly filled with horror. What had I made? What was this monster? I backed up into the door, roughly fumbled with the doorknob, and fled from the room.  
I was overcome with exhaustion, due to the sleepless nights I had suffered as I neared my goal of animating the creature. I stumbled into my office and locked the door, confident that the canine could not manage to open it, even if it escaped the workroom it now was in. I flicked off the lights, and curled up on my couch. Quickly, I was taken by sleep.  
Outside, the sign on my building darkened. The words, familiar to me, faded just as the sunset did.  
_Victoire Franklin's Veterinary Clinic._

When I woke up in the morning, I was still exhausted. I hadn't slept well on the couch, and I had been troubled by strange dreams. When I cautiously went to check on the monster, I realized that the door to the workroom was ajar. Horrified, I rushed out into the bright sunlight, and went straight for my car.  
I pulled into my driveway and climbed out of my car just in time to watch a taxi pull up. For a moment I was confused, until I saw my dear friend, Helen Cleary, getting out. I was so delighted to see her, I almost forgot about the horrible creature I had created. I rushed to her side to hug her.  
After a moment, she held me at arm's length and looked me over. "Oh, Vicky, you look terrible. Are you getting sick?"  
"Oh, no," I tried to brush away her concern. "I've been busy, is all. I haven't had much sleep. Please, come inside." I ushered her into the house. Unfortunately, Helen's concern proved true, and at dinner I fell into a fever and a drawn out sickness.  
For months, Helen cared for me. When I was at last feeling well again, she came to me with a laptop. "Vicky, honey, your family's been worried sick. Send them an email; let them know how you're doing."  
I took the computer from her good-naturedly. "Of course, Helen." I logged into my email to see one from my cousin, Elijah Lavoie. He wrote about how worried he was when he heard about my sickness. He wrote about my mother, and my two little sisters, Erin and Willow. He wrote about the gardener, Justin Morse. I was overjoyed to hear news from home. Since starting the work on my canine, I had barely kept in contact with my family. I quickly wrote him an email in return, assuring him of my return to health.  
Helen stayed with me for many months after that, partially to keep an eye on me in case the sickness pulled me back, and partially to learn about my veterinary clinic. I showed her many things and introduced her to the people who worked with me at the clinic. I rarely thought of my creature, and for the most part it was banished from my mind like an old nightmare. Helen's presence kept me calm and down to earth. I could almost believe that the monster had never existed.

It was May when the nightmare returned in the form of an email from my mother.  
_Victoire,  
__I don't know how to tell you this, my dear. For I know you are doing well and I don't wish for your mysterious illness to return. But tell you I must.  
__Willow is dead!  
__It was May 7__th__, your cousin, your sisters and I were out for a stroll. The girls ran on ahead, and Erin returned to us alone, claiming she could not find your sister. We searched and searched, and when we found her, she was already gone. Mauled by some beast!  
__I am only glad your father did not live to see this occur.  
__Your mother, Alondra Franklin_


End file.
